And where the advocates say it hurts for Tennessee is money and sports.

Community Oversight Now, a local coalition that pushed for Metro's newly formed oversight board, announced their "Don't Play Where You're Not Welcome" campaign ahead of Tuesday's city council meeting.

The effort encourages the state's top high school athletes — classes of 2020 and 2021 — to withdraw their support of in-state colleges and universities by playing elsewhere.

The campaign hopes that if even a few players decide to take their talents out-of-state, the potential loss of revenue to Tennessee collegiate programs and their surrounding businesses would have a lasting impact.

"The recruitment of top-ranked athletes is the bread and butter of Tennessee’s sports economy," Sekou Franklin, an organizer with the group, said to about 50 people chanting "Hands off COB."

"The withdrawal of support means we are making a vigorous effort to steer these athletes away from Tennessee institutions and to accept athletic scholarships elsewhere."

The campaign came a day before National Signing Day, when high school seniors commit to a university and its athletic program.

Franklin said campaign will extend nationally, with outreach to potential out-of-state recruits. "We will inform them about the Tennessee General Assembly effort to make Tennessee and unsafe environment. This is a public safety issue."

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Sekou Franklin, an organizer with Oversight Community Now, talks about campaign to encourage state's top recruits to leave Tennessee.(Photo11: Yihyun Jeong/Tennessean)

GOP accused of targeting Nashville

Tennessee House Republicans filed House Bill 658 to strip police oversight boards in the state of their subpoena power. The move would significantly hinder the Nashville board's ability to investigate alleged officer misconduct.

Leaders of the Republican-dominated legislature have a history of intervening in the affairs of Democratic-dominated Nashville. But bill sponsor Rep. Michael Curcio, R-Dickson, denied that the legislation was a direct response to Nashville's recently established oversight board, repeatedly telling reporters Monday that the bill would "broadly set" parameters for any oversight board in the state.

"There are presently no guardrails in state law that define how they are to be created, who can serve on them and what their specific function is," Curcio said. "We feel like this is just something that needed to be brought."

Community Oversight Now isn't buying it.

"We were very intentional about how we crafted this," said DJ Hudson, an advocate with the group. "We know this is 100 percent an attempt to neuter our COB and render it if not essentially powerless, token, symbolic and not at all what the people of Nashville 100 percent voted for."

The Metro Council last month elected 11 diverse members to its community oversight board, which voters approved by referendum in November through an amendment to the city charter after recent shootings of two black men by white police officers in Nashville.

Under Amendment 1 to the Metro Charter that Nashville voters approved in November, the community oversight board has "all powers, including the power to compel" that other Metro government agencies, boards and entities have.

Gov. Bill Lee supports bill

The group believes the state bill discriminates against minorities and rural communities. They are calling on lawmakers to vote down the bill and for Gov. Bill Lee to reject the legislation.

"Athletes being recruited for Tennessee have been taken straight out of the hood to play basketball and football and to help fund scholarships for all other students while their communities back at home are being over policed," said Mark Lollis, a former athlete who works in youth sports. "The police really have lack of accountability. Those days are over."

Lee told reporters on Tuesday he supported the bill.

"I don’t think that subpoena power should be given to that oversight board," Lee said. "It changes the due process for law enforcement."

In a statement, Nashville Mayor David Briley said voters made their views clear when they approved the board.

"It is my responsibility as Mayor to ensure their will is carried out and that our COB is expeditiously and effectively implemented," he said. "The members of the COB represent the diversity of our city, from three highly respected former law enforcement officers and a former state Attorney General to community activists and neighborhood advocates."

"Better yet, this body was approved by the Metro Council after a very competitive process," Briley said. "Each member of the 11-member COB has stepped forward to serve Nashville and help create a safer and more equitable criminal justice system.